Basket reed connecting machine



July 28, 1931. F, FQRTNER 1,816,674

BASKET REED CONNECTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27, 1929 1 1 M Farina,-

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STATES FRED FOR-TNER, OF GLADWIN, LIICHIGAN BASKET REED CONNECTING MACHINE Application filed December 27, 1929 Serial No. 416,898.

This invention relates to means for con necting together reeds used in making baskets and the like, the general object of the invention being to provide means for bend- .ng small strips of metal around parts of pairs of the reeds to fasten them together, so that the winding of the reeds together by hand is eliminated.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended '15 claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the sevg0 eral views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of the device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a. front view of the bending members.

6 Figure 4 is a view showing how the reeds are connected together by the metal strips. As shown in Figure 4, each pair of reeds A is connected together by the small metal strips B and in order to bend these strips 80 around the reeds I provide the device shown generally at C. This device comprises the frame composed of the top and bottom parts 1 and 2 and the part 3 which connects the inner ends of the two parts together. This part 3 is adapted to be fastened to a wall or other support, as shown at 4. A brace 5 also connects the top part with the support. Diagonally arranged braces 6 connect the top and bottom parts together and these braces are connected together at their centers.

()ponings are formed in the outer ends of the p: ts 1 and 2 and a vertical bar 7 passes through these openings.

A handle 8 is pivoted to an upright 9 on the top member and this handle is connected with the upper end of the bar 7 by a pin and slot connection, as shown at 10. Thus by depressing the handle, the bar will be moved downwardly. A spring 11, fastened to the bar and the top member, tends to hold the bar 13 attached to a base 14 which is supported by a horizontal support with the jaw 13 in alignment with the jaw 12. Each jaw is,

formed with a pair of semicircularrecesses in its free end.

From the foregoing it will be seen that portions of a pair of the reeds with a strip partly bent around the same are placed on the stationary jaw and then the handle is depressed to lower the bar 7 to cause the jaw 12 to press the strip between itself and the stationary jaw so as to bend the metal around the reeds, as shown at the right of Figure 4. Thus the reeds are connected together without being twisted together.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

t is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combin a tion and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

lVhat I claim is A device for bending a connecting strip about parallel reeds comprising a stationary jaw having spaced recesses to receive a pair of reeds and a connecting strip, a non-movable frame located above the jaw and including upper and lower parallel portions connected by a support attaching portion, means securing said support attaching portion to a support, a rod slidable in the upper and lower portions and in vertical alignment with the jaw, a second jaw having spaced recesses secured to the lower end of the rod for cooperating with the first jaw in bending the strip about the reeds by the downward movementof the rod, tension means between the rod and the upper portion to normally urge the rod upwardly, and a handle pivotedto the upper portion and having a pin and slot connection with the upper end of the rod for moving the latter downwardly against the action of the spring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRED FORTNER. 

